Goodman's Power vs. Abrams' All-Around Game: Nationals Host Rockies Tonight

Two teams on the wrong side of .500 meet at Nationals Park tonight, but don't let the records fool you — there's genuine star power on both sides of this one. Our model doesn't have a validated read on this game, so we're leaning on the matchup itself to tell the story.

At 51-81, Colorado is one of the worst teams in baseball this season, while Washington at 62-72 isn't exactly setting the world on fire either. But these late-August games between struggling clubs can be deceptively watchable, especially when the individual talent is worth tracking. Tanner Gordon is expected to take the mound for the Rockies, while Matt Waldron is set to start for Washington — two pitchers who will need to navigate lineups that carry legitimate offensive threats.

On the Colorado side, Hunter Goodman is the name to watch. Thirty-five home runs and 70 RBI on a 51-win team is a remarkable individual performance — Goodman is clearly doing his part in an environment that offers him very little help. Jake McCarthy adds a different dimension at .292, giving the Rockies a contact option at the top of the order who can set the table. The question is whether Gordon can keep Washington off the board long enough for that offense to matter.

For Washington, CJ Abrams is flat-out having a season. Twenty-nine home runs and 92 RBI while hitting .276 makes him one of the more complete offensive players in the National League right now, and he's the clear centerpiece of everything the Nationals do offensively. Waldron will need to be sharp — if Abrams gets going early, this game could get away from Colorado in a hurry. Without a model read to anchor a lean, the honest call here is to watch Abrams closely. He's the most impactful player on the field tonight, and on a night where neither pitching staff inspires overwhelming confidence, his ability to drive in runs could be the deciding factor.